Verna Mae Beard

Verna Mae Beard, 86, of Hubbard and formerly of Zearing, passed away on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at the Hubbard Care Center.
Funeral services for Verna Beard will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, in Ames. A time of food and fellowship will follow at The Parlor, 119 Washington, in Ames, following the funeral service.
Visitation for Verna Beard will be held from 4:00 - 6:00 PM on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care in Ames.
Burial will take place at 2:00 PM on Friday, December 12, 2025, Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery in Waterloo, Iowa.
Verna was born February 28, 1939, to Deo and Bernita (Mulford) Jones in Hampton, Iowa. She was raised and educated in Hampton, graduating from Hampton High School with the Class of 1958.
Following high school, Verna was united in marriage to James Beard and lived in a variety of places during his career with the United States Navy, including San Diego, New Jersey and Virginia. In the late 1970's, the family returned to Washburn, Iowa, where they made their home for over 30 years. Following her husband's death, Verna moved to Zearing, Iowa, where she lived until moving to the Hubbard Care Center recently.
Verna loved raising her family, playing Bingo, cheating at cards, watching her soaps on TV, working on Sudoku and word search puzzles, and spending time with her family and picking on her loved ones. She had a great, sarcastic sense of humor, and her family lovingly refers to her as sassy, witty and as a spitfire. She was very generous and loved Christmas, shopping and was an excellent cook, having learned from her mother. She loved her special cat, Mama Kitty.
Verna is survived by her sons, Marlin (Liz) Beard of Zearing and Scott Beard of Cedar Falls; grandchildren, Hunter Beard of Zearing, Wayne Beard, serving with the US Navy in Yokosuka, Japan, Trenton Beard of Zearing, Gabriel Felix of Clive, Katelyn Felix of Waterloo; great grandchildren, James Felix, Eli Streich and Benjamin Streich; sister-in-law Bev Jones, of Hampton; along with numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
Verna was preceded by her parents, son Christopher Rex Beard, and her siblings, Marlys Kruckenburg, Pete Jones, Jim Jones, Marlin "Joe" Jones, Pauline Nalan and Helen Hetzel.